by Dan Christensen, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
Throughout the recruiting process, there are going to be many different pieces of information you need from prospects. Some questions are better asked at specific points in the process. There are two questions that you can and should ask right from the beginning. The answers to these questions will give you very important information you’ll need as the coach throughout the entire process.
If you have been recruiting a prospect for a while and still don’t know this information, it is okay. But, you should attempt to get this information as soon as possible. And if you are reaching out to a recruit for the first time, ask these two questions in that first conversation.
1) Who is helping you make your decision?
There is always going to be someone back at home helping your recruit. Very often it is mom and dad. But, it may be a coach, a friend, another relative, or a teacher. Whoever it is, you need to know who that is and how to get in contact with them.
Just as you should be communicating with your prospect consistently, you should be communicating with that person consistently. That person is going to give their opinions to your prospect. They are going to help that recruit narrow down their choices. They might even be the one to help coordinate the campus visit.
If you don’t tell that person back home who you are as a coach, a program, or a school, they’ll form opinions that are completely out of your control. You don’t want that coach. You want to tell them how to think about you.
So, if you don’t know who these people are in your recruit’s life, ask! And ask soon so you have plenty of time to tell that person your story as well.
2) What is your timeline for a decision?
Coach, you want to know if they are deciding in a month or a year. You don’t want to be caught by surprise when they commit elsewhere before you have a chance to go through your process.
But, very often you’ll find the answer to this question is, “I don’t know. We haven’t thought about it yet.” This can actually be a great answer because now you have the opportunity to guide them and give advice. And if you have a timeline of your own, you can better get them to work within your timeline.
Whether it is a recruit you have been talking to for a year or it is the first conversation you’re having with them, ask these two questions and use their answers to help you be more effective in recruiting that athlete!
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